How Obama freed key Taliban leader in 2014 in prisoner swap despite pentagon warnings only for him to spearhead steaming take-over of Kabul
The mastermind behind the Taliban's takeover of Kabul was released from Guantanamo Bay under Barack Obama's presidency in 2014 despite resistance from the Pentagon, it has been revealed.
Khairullah Khairkhwa was one of five Taliban commanders released from the detention camp off the coast of Cuba by Obama in exchange for American soldier Bowe Bergdahl.
The former president guaranteed the US people that the so-called Taliban Five would be sent to Qatar and incapable of doing any damage in Afghanistan.
However, earlier this year Khairkhwa ended up brokering the terms of the withdrawal of troops despite intelligence reports sent to Obama and Biden after his release, according to the New York Post.
Khairullah Khairkhwa was one of five Taliban commanders released from the detention camp off the coast of Cuba by Obama in exchange for American soldier Bowe Bergdahl
While doing so the former president (pictured making a statement about the exchange next to Bowe Bergdahl's parents in 2014) guaranteed the US people that the so-called Taliban Five would be sent to Qatar and incapable of doing any damage in Afghanistan
The US soldier (pictured: Bowe Bergdahl) the Taliban Five were exchanged for has since been dishonourably discharged for desertion and misbehavior before the enemy
The freed Taliban Five were indeed sent to Qatar but simply used their exile to remotely form a regime.
While speaking to President Biden's Afghanistan envoy, Zalmay Khalilzad, earlier this year, Khairkhwa said: 'I started jihad to remove foreign forces from my country and establish an Islamic government, and jihad will continue until we reach that goal through a political agreement.'
He promised that the Taliban wouldn't launch an offensive if Biden removed all US troops and even claimed they wouldn't punish Afghans who had worked with the US military.
But the warlords are now trying to track down Afghans who did just that and are hunting those who cooperated in the toppling of the Taliban regime after the 9/11 attacks.
Khairkhwa is believed to have had close ties with Osama Bin Laden and was arrested in Pakistan following 9/11 before being sent to Guantanamo in 2002. But just 12 years later Obama released him and four others - Abdul Haq Wasiq (right), Norullah Noori, Mohammad Fazl (left) and Mohammad Nabi Omari
Pictured: Members of the Taliban Five who set up a regime in Qatar after their release from Guantanamo. Left: Norullah Noori. Right: Mohammad Nabi Omari
When former President Donald Trump was in power he changed administration policy and made it much harder for Guantanamo prisoners to be released. But since taking over in January this year, Biden has already released his first one - accused terrorist Abdul Latif Nasser
Afghans pouring into Kabul as refugees fleeing the march of the militants told stories of how Taliban warlords had demanded they turn over women and girls to become their 'wives' and be raped.
The Wall Street Journal also reported that civilians and captured soldiers were murdered by the Islamist terror organisation - allegations that Taliban officials have denied.
Khairkhwa has previously overseen beheadings and stonings while instated as the Taliban's interior minister.
He is believed to have had close ties with Osama Bin Laden and was arrested in Pakistan following 9/11 before being sent to Guantanamo in 2002.
But just 12 years later Obama released him and four others - Abdul Haq Wasiq, Norullah Noori, Mohammad Fazl and Mohammad Nabi Omari.
They were the only prisoners sent to Guantanamo for life that have ever been released without the parole board's clearance.
And the US soldier they were exchanged for has since been dishonourably discharged for desertion and misbehavior before the enemy.
When former President Donald Trump was in power he changed administration policy and made it much harder for Guantanamo prisoners to be released.
But since taking over in January this year, Biden has already released his first one - accused terrorist Abdul Latif Nasser.
And some 10 others have also been cleared for release.
